Panel discusses domestic violence, sexual assault in Mendocino County

Last week, the America Association of University Women and Soroptimist International of Ukiah sponsored a domestic violence and sexual assault panel discussion at Mendocino College’s Little Theater, with representatives from Project Sanctuary and Mendocino College leading the discussion.

Judy Albert, program director of Project Sanctuary, explained that her agency, providing services to the community since 1976, is a dually funded domestic violence and sexual assault center. They offer peer counseling, support groups, provide advocacy and accompaniment in the court system and education prevention to lower grades, high school and college.

They are part of the rape crisis program, whose members are trained to perform rape crisis evidentiary procedures and to meet victims at Ukiah Valley Medical Center and Howard Hospital.

Statistically, the number of rapes reported countywide is 20 to 29 per year. It is, however, one of the most underreported crimes, where usually 2 percent will report an incident. “Many people walk into our office needing to talk but never made the report,” she says.

Among college students, women between the ages of 16 and 24 experience rape at a rate four times higher than the assault of all women, making the high school and college years the most vulnerable for women.

Between 20 and 25 percent of women will experience a completed or attempted rape during their college career. More than half will tell no one. Approximately 11 percent will report it to police.

Of those reported, fewer than 10 percent of rape cases will result in criminal charges against the defendant. Seventy-five percent of women and 25 percent of men involved in acquaintance rape were drinking or taking drugs prior to the assault.

College women are most vulnerable to rape during the first few weeks of their freshman and sophomore years. College men are more likely to report unwanted kissing or fondling than intercourse. College men who are raped are usually raped by other men.

Victims do not report because of embarrassment or shame, fear of reprisal from the assailant, self blame for drinking or using drugs prior and mistrust of campus judicial systems and confidentiality.

“Rapes usually occur in isolation without a witness, and there are two defenses in the case of rape,” says Albert. “You’ve got the wrong person and it was consensual. It is still very difficult to get these cases taken through the court system. The first question that law enforcement will make is, did you say no? There are, of course, other ways to say no. If the person has not said no, it is difficult to prosecute.”

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Lia Holbrook, prevention education coordinator for Project Sanctuary, says that prevention education has changed quite a bit over the years, coming more inline with new research and evidence. In the past it was very focused on personal safety, teaching ways for people to not become victims—positive touch, safe partying tips and information on date rape drugs.

The program has moved away from this toward a more global perspective, focusing on bullying education and the silent bystander.

“We will never be able to completely eliminate people who will use power and control to perpetrate violence, but we can work to educate the people around them,” she says, “teaching them how to intervene safely.”

The primary people who teenagers talk to are other teenagers. If teens are in a situation of sexual abuse or domestic violence they will talk with their peers. The new approach builds on how to avoid encounters and how to support those who have already been involved.

“In our community, we are working on a change in culture and the best way for us to do that is through collaboration with schools and other agencies,” she says.

The focus in the lower grades is around bullying and boundaries, and in the upper grades how to develop healthy relationships and what that means in their lives.

Dina Polkinghorne, executive director of Project Sanctuary, discussed the new bill, SB 967 “yes means yes,” that states, in order to receive state funds for student financial services, it requires that state colleges and universities adopt policies regarding not only sexual abuse but also domestic violence and stalking, and that the polices include elements of affirmative consent and prevention and outreach programs.

Affirmative consent means affirmative, conscious and voluntary agreement to engage in sexual activity. Lack of protest does not mean consent, nor does silence.

The consent must be ongoing throughout the sexual activity and can be revoked at any time. The existence of a dating relationship between the persons involved, or the fact of past sexual relations between them, should never by itself be assumed to be an indicator of consent.

Linda R. Butler, mental health coordinator at Mendocino College, said that students who are registered can avail themselves of personal counseling services at the college and that the college’s current policy states that sexual harassment is prohibited. It includes touching or talking in a way that is sexual or suggestive and is unwanted and not reciprocated. This pertains to on campus activities and those off campus sponsored by the college.

“If there is a complaint about sexual harassment or assault, we want to hear about it. Students are encouraged to talk with faculty members or request to talk with the dean of student affairs who will arrange for a private conversation. Students can then be referred for counseling and we will advocate for them,” says Butler.

“We are working to get into compliance with the new law and that represents a paradigm shift, moving away from the victim having to prove they said no to the perpetrator or initiator of the sexual contact actually having consent, putting more responsibility on that individual.

“For young people it means taking responsibility by gaining consent of the person with whom you want to spend time, and we are here to help make that transition. We want to educate our students here on campus so they know what is expected of them, to keep themselves and others around them safe,” she says.